Aaron Todd Douglas is the Director of the University of Minnesota/Guthrie Theater BFA Acting Program, and a newly elected member of the Board of Directors of American Players Theatre. Aaron Todd is a theatre artist who acts, directs, writes and teaches. Previously based in Chicago, Aaron Todd is a Founding Ensemble Member and was a Playwright-in-Residence, and longtime Associate Artistic Director of Congo Square Theatre Company. He was also a faculty member in the Theatre Department at Northwestern University and Loyola University. Keeping busy during the Pandemic, he performed in Immortal Goats by Idris Goodwin for Black Lives Black Words International Project where he is an Associate Artist. Aaron Todd also performed in Just Cause (Rivendell Theatre/Canamac Productions), and recently wrapped The Clinic (Radio Play miniseries for Congo Square Theatre). This winter he will return to First Stage Theatre in Milwaukee to direct the stage adaptation of the Newbery and Coretta Scott King Award winning Watson’s Go To Birmingham 1963.

As a playwright, his plays include Upstate, and The Master Comic (African American Arts Alliance Award), both produced by MPAACT Theatre. He is a member in good standing of AEA and SAG/AFTRA, and a former NEA Art Works Panelist. He was the inaugural Next Generation Management Fellow at Victory Gardens Theater. A Chicago stage veteran, Aaron Todd has acted and directed at many of Chicago’s finest theatre companies including The Goodman, ETA Creative Arts, Chicago Theatre Company, Victory Gardens, Chicago Shakespeare, Writers Theatre, Raven Theatre, The Court and Steppenwolf.

Brianna Borger is an Assistant Professor of Instruction and Undergraduate Academic Advisor in the Department of Theatre. She advises, mentors, and supports Theatre majors throughout their time at Northwestern, helping students identify where their interests and aspirations lie and how to best create a path toward those goals.

Brianna has been a professional singer and actor for over 20 years, touring internationally and performing on stages across the country before settling in Chicago in 2008. She received a Jeff Award Nomination for her performance in THE KING AND I, and performed in acclaimed Chicagoland productions of A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, PARADE, SOUTHERN GOTHIC, BILLY ELLIOT, and INTO THE WOODS. In 2019 she shifted her focus to directing, where she could actively work for greater inclusivity on Chicago's stages and create engaging productions that challenge tradition.

Brianna's academic work is largely focused on music theatre voice and pedagogy, with a
specific focus on marrying healthy, efficient singing technique with dramatic circumstances in order to create a fully realized performance. She has maintained a private voice studio in Evanston, IL for several years, encouraging students to explore their vocal potential while also celebrating what makes them unique as a vocalist and performer. As a director and an educator, her goal is to create a safe space that gives artists the freedom to challenge themselves and create a grounded, honest performance that they are proud of.

Brianna has led masterclasses on Musical Theatre Audition Technique, Song Interpretation, and Performing Arts Career Navigation. She is also the founder of The Success Project, a website and social media presence that aims to reframe how we define success for performing arts majors after graduation and throughout life. She is a proud member of Actors' Equity (AEA) and the Music Theatre Educators' Alliance (MTEA).

Kristen Teeter has been proudly teaching dance for over 30 years now. Her early exposure began in Southern California as an extension to her training as a competitive gymnast. This led to her pursuit of a dance degree from California State University, Fullerton where she graduated with Honors and then went on to continued dance education at professional studios and companies throughout New York City and Chicago. She has since choreographed, taught and performed at all levels throughout the United States. An avid mentor to youth seeking careers in dance and musical theatre, she has spent the last decade building and leading the dance program at a private high school in St. Louis while continuing to guest teach and consult nationwide for multiple summer intensives and professional workshops. Her proudest role is that of mom to four bright, kind and talented kids/young adults who continue to inspire her daily as they pursue their own exciting dreams in professional theatre, engineering, music, elite running, indoor rock climbing, occupational therapy, and more. 

Lara Teeter has performed, directed and choreographed for major regional theatre and opera houses nation-wide. He is currently a Professor of Theatre, Head of the Musical Theatre Program at the Webster Conservatory for Theatre Arts here in St. Louis. Lara has performed in three national tours and six Broadway shows, including the revival of the Rodgers and Hart classic, On Your Toes, for which he received a Tony nomination and Outer Critics Circle Award. From 1999-2004, Lara served as Artistic Director of Light Opera Works in the Chicago area, and in 2000 made his Carnegie Hall debut followed by his Lyric Opera of Chicago debut in 2001. Over these last few years, Lara has performed the role of Captain Andy in SHOW BOAT for Houston Grand Opera, Dallas Opera, National Opera, and Glimmerglass Opera. Recordings include On Your Toes, Lady Be Good and the Grammy nominated Wizard of Oz. For the last 30 years, Lara has performed and directed for the St. Louis MUNY, the oldest and largest outdoor summer stock house in the country. Some of the MUNY shows include: Singin’ In the Rain, The Wizard of Oz, Little Shop of Horrors, White Christmas, Hairspray, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, Bye, Bye Birdie, AIDA, and most recently for the MUNY’S 100TH ANNIVERSARY. He is also active as a private coach for musical theatre dance, song study, and tap. Since 2009, Lara has directed and choreographed for the Variety Theatre Company which serves kids and teens with disabilities. He and his wife, Kristen, are the proud parents of Charlie, Elizabeth, Katherine and Maggie.

Lauren Marousek, an artist, choreographer, and teacher, has trained for over 20 years in various dance disciplines. She is a student in the University of Idaho’s MFA in Theatre Arts program and holds a BFA in acting with a dance minor from Baldwin Wallace University. Marousek’s professional choreographic credits include productions at Beck Center for the Arts, The Cleveland Orchestra at Blossom Music Center, Baldwin Wallace University, Playhouse Square, Cleveland Musical Theater, Porthouse Theatre, and more. Marousek ran her own private dance and acting training business in Pennsylvania for three years before returning to Ohio as an adjunct faculty member at Baldwin Wallace’s Theater and Dance department. The Cleveland Critics Circle recognized her for her choreographic work in the Beck Center for the Arts’ Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. She is an associate member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society.

Gail Becker is a distinguished arts executive and Actor’s Equity Association (AEA) professional with a 35-year track record of institutional founding, creative direction, and talent development. As a Co-Founder and the Managing Director and Director of Education for Capital City Theatre (CCT), Gail has played a pivotal role in evolving Madison’s professional arts landscape. Through the creation of the CCT Conservatory, she has focused on bridging artistic vision with organizational sustainability, helping to advance the standards for professional training in the community. This executive expertise is further reflected in her 15-year tenure as the Director of the Overture Center’s Jerry Ensemble, where she oversees some of the state’s top youth musical theatre talent.

As a Director and Music Director, Gail has helmed a vast array of professional productions, including It’s A Wonderful Life: A New Musical, Murder For Two, Tick, Tick...Boom!, Edges, Little Shop of Horrors, A Christmas Carol, Shrek, Fiddler On The Roof, Les Miserables, Brigadoon, Annie, Little Women, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and Anne of Green Gables. 

Her performance career is equally expansive, featuring a national tour of Babes in Toyland and celebrated Chicago turns in Chicago (June), Sunday in the Park with George (Frieda/Mrs.), Merrily We Roll Along (Gussie), and The Pirates of Penzance (Edith). Locally, she has delivered notable performances in the World Premiere of Shining In Misery (Annie), the Regional Premieres of Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 (Marya) and Tuck Everlasting (Mae), as well as featured roles in On The Town (Madame Dilly), Gypsy (Mazeppa), and The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

Gail’s influence as an educator and consultant spans the most prestigious theatrical organizations in the country. Her instructional credits include the Capital City Theatre Conservatory, Edgewood College, the Kennedy Center High School Theatre Workshops, the Wisconsin Theatre Festival, the UW-Madison Theatre Department, and the UW Summer Music Clinic. She has also served as a vital clinician for the Madison Jerry Awards, CTM’s Academy, and the Wisconsin School Music Association (WSMA). Beyond the stage, Gail leverages her vocal expertise as a voice-over artist, most recently, American Family Insurance, and currently as a Public Address Announcer for the Madison Mallards, the Night Mares, and various UW-Madison athletic teams. You can learn more about Gail at www.gailbeckertalent.com.